How Businesses Will Brand in 2021: Focused and Purpose-Driven

All indications are that marketing and communications will become much more people focused and purpose driven in 2021 (and beyond).  Data analytics, likes, tweets and follows will not disappear but, post COVID, companies are much more focused on what people actually need and how to best meet those needs.  As we know, the past year has forced many businesses and companies to rethink how they do what they do – either through inspiration or necessity.  And now, as global business scales up to new normal standards, everyone is thinking differently about their brands, their positioning and how they engage their communities.

 In preparing this entry, we looked towards two industry leaders as reference points: Deloitte Insight’s 2021 Global Marketing Trends and HubSpot’s Marketing Trends to Watch in 2021.  The disruption of normality has created uncertainty and lack of confidence among executives across the C-suite, but people are demanding that companies and brands break through that uncertainty and step up to meet their needs.  Authentic human connection and engagement is required, even if businesses are refocusing on internal restructuring and improving efficiencies.  Deloitte’s report focuses on six trends that are already taking shape and will be firmly in place for the year ahead: purpose, agility, human experience, trust, participation and fusion of people and digital.  Most importantly, we are now entering an age when the marketing process is becoming even more a two-way street between brands and consumers.  Using social media is no longer just about creating brand awareness presence but transforming it into an actual community development and engagement tool. 

So, the next question is how does that happen and how can companies establish brand positioning in this new marketing climate?  Increasing cross-platform integrations and getting singularly focused on your community and their needs is step one.  And that means that virtual engagement will likely continue to be the way companies communicate with their audiences around topics that they co-create and propel forward.  Particularly for global companies, the virtual tool conveniently replaces in-person events with greater cost effectiveness.  We now know we can truly engage and influence globally at the tap of a button.  Even so, empathy, intimacy and “real” interaction will still be cornerstones to how brands reposition themselves and create meaningful connection to their customers.  And, as mentioned above, while communications and campaigns will be anchored (and accelerated) by data, digital and AI, the customer will once again prove to be king.